Track-laying machine



c. w. BURTON.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE- APPLICATION FlLEb NOV. I8,'19|9- 1,354,533. Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

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INVENTOR :t\

BY 2n aim;

ATTORNEY C. W. BURTON.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1919.

m 9 R H 1T 0 N E ,E T. R 5% N 0 +2 w n S Wm m h A d U 8 DA C. W. BURTON.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. 1919.

1,354,533. Patented 001:. 5,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

iNVENTOR ATTORNEY C. W, BURTON.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. I919.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

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.llllllltll INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNETED STATES CHARLES W. BURTON, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE.

Applicatlon'filed November 18, 1919.

T aZZ whom-i2. may concern: v

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track- Laying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is an improvement on the invention patented to me March 28th, 1916, numbered 1,177,301, for track laying machines, and has for its object to provide a machine for removing the rails and ties from flat cars on the newly laid track to positions in front of the machine where said ties be placed on the road bed a-nd the rails on the newly placed ties in building the road; and whereby one or two rails may be so moved forward at the same time, while the tie moving elements are returning for more ties.

The invention consists of new and novel means to raise the rails from the flat cars and carry them to a position in front of the machine and lower them in place on the newly laid ties for permanent spiking; also new and novel tie handling mechanism to carry a plurality of ties from flat cars at the rear of the machine to the front of the machine where they may be dumped ahead f the rails for convenience in placing on the roadbed, with novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. As will be obvious,

v slight modifications and changes in construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the claims.

These objects. I accomplish with the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures and described in the specification and pointed out in the .appended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown a substantial embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, parts cut away and parts shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine, with ties carried thereon and showing one rail suspended. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the rail carrying means, showing the brake for lowering the rails. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the other side of said rail carrier. Fig. (3 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Serial No. 338,981.

a rear elevation of said rail carrier. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same rail carrier. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the tie carrier. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the tie carrier. Fig. 10 is a plan view in detail of the clutch throwing levers. Fig. 11 is an elevation in detail of two of the drums and the clutches and arm for engaging said drums. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the drums and end elevation of the arm and connecting rod therefor. Fig. 13 is an elevation of one of the tie carrying rollers. Fig. 14 is an elevation of thetransfer carrier. The figures from 3 to 14 are somewhat enlarged from Figs. 1 and2 to illustrate moreclearly the construction.

I mount my machine on the truck portions of a common flat car and it consists of a platform A, with a skeleton frame work mounted on said platfonn. The said frame work has corner posts 1 with a rectangular frame B secured thereon and rigidly held by the angled braces 2 to support the end portions of said frame B, and the curved braces 3 on its side reaches. I thus provide a floor, the horizontal platform A, on which some of the machinery is mounted, and spaced above it a skeleton frame B strongly supported and braced in such manner as to allow as nearly as possible unobstructed use of both the platform and frame. On the said frame 13, I mount a steam engine or other power element C having a sprocket drive l thereon, also a transverse driving shaft 5, which is connected with said sprocket drive by the chain 6 and rotated always in one direction by said power element. I suspend three longitudinally disposed I-beams 7, 8 and 9 from the under side of said frame B which I-beams form the carrier tracks, the ones numbered 7 and 8 are the tracks for the rail carriers and 9 for the tie carrier. I providea sheave pulley 10 on each end of said I-beams 7 and 8 to carry operating cables for moving the rail carriers to and fro on said tracks. Similar sheave pulleys 11 are provided on the ends of said track beam 9 to carry the operating cables for moving the tie carrier on its track, and the forward end of said I-beam 9 bent downwardly as at 12 to allow the tie carrier from over one of said sheave pulleys and having its end fastened to the respective carriers. Clutches 21 are splined on and rotate with said shaft 5, one for each of said cable drums, in order that when one of said clutches is made to engage its respec tive drum, that particular drum will berotated and its cable wound thereon. I provide four clutch handling levers 22, 23, 24 and 25, each having its respective connectingrod 27 and each in turn is pivoted to the upper end of the clutch throwing arms 28 by which the clutches are moved into or out of engagement with said cable drums. A de tail of the clutch, arm 28 and a portion of one of the connecting rods 27 is shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

' I use'two rail carriers H,- one on each ofsaid tracks 7 and 8 and each consists of two flat plates 29 spaced apartand held rigidly by transverse posts 26. In the upper portion of each of said plates 29 are journaled four roller wheels 31 positioned in two sets, each set near the corners of said plate 'and'c'arried for rotation on stub shafts 32. The said roller wheels 31 are to bear on the lower flange of their respective Lbeam tracks 7 or 8. On the transverse shafts 33 and 34 which are journaled in said plates 29 are mounted the mechanism for raising and lowering therails and said mechanism consists of a gear wheel 35 which is secured on said shaft 33*and a gear wheel 36 that is secured on the shaft 34 with a driving gear 37 thatis 'journaled on a shaft 38,

also journaled in said plates-2 9, with the teethof said 'drive'gear meshing with the teeth of both of said gears 35 and 36. A

cable drum 39 is also secured on the shaft gear 35 is journaled a'friction cable drum 40, and on thef'adj acent end of said shaft 34 is journaled a similar friction drum 41.

A friction band 42'has its ends fastened to the lower portion of the plate 29 adja cent the said friction drums 40 and 41 and said hand 42 is passed over the upper faces of said drums 40 and 41 and yieldingly held as a brake on said drums by the spiral spring 43. Ahand rope 44 is passed over a pulley 45 and one of i ts ends secured to said spring to release the tension of said spring when desired. Cables 46 are connected with and wound on drums 48 which are secured on thesaid shafts 33 and 34 and on the lower'end of each cable 46 is ,c fastened a rail tong or grapple 47.

p The tie carrier K consists of two spaced apart leaves 50 each of which ishinged to a cross head 51, that in turn is secured to two vertically held plates 52. On said plates 52 are journaled roller wheels 53 similar in shape, operation and use to the said roller wheels 31, and said roller wheels 53 are made to bear on the lower flange of are tobe used in holes cut in the lower corners of said spaced apart leaves 50, see Fig.

13. I provide one or more tie trucks D for use on the said platform A and in the bolsters 56 provided on said trucks D are cut recesses'57 within which recesses the said roller shafts 54 may be passed. The said tie trucks D are to be operated on small tracks 58 secured on said platform A and turn-table E and side leaf F. The side leaf F is hinged on the edge of said platform A and one edge maybe raised and the leaf secured on a plane with said platform.

A short incline is provided in that portion of said track 58 in the rear of the turn table E, which incline is shown at 59; in order that when a truck is loaded with ties and the said rollers 54 are in place, and the truck D is run down the incline the ties will then be held by the carrier, and truck. I) will be thus quickly unloaded. In. order that rails may be easily handled from the flat cars I secure on one end of saidshaft 5 a sprocket wheel60 and on said platform A, I mount a transverse counter shaft. 61 having another sprocket wheel .62 secured thereon. A sprocket chain'63 connects said shaft 5 and counter shafts 61. A cable carrying drum 64 is carried on said shaft 61 and the rotation of said shaft is imparted to said drum 64 by means of a clutch 65, similar to the said clutches 21. The said clutch 65 is throwninto engagement with said drum 64 by the lever 66. A cable is provided and operated on said drum 64 to move the rails longitudinally from the fiat cars, and in order that their movement may be as free as possible I provide rollers '67, which are mounted between the rear portions of the said tracks 58.

I provide a transverse roller 68 adjacent the said drums 13 to 20 which roller is journaled in said frame B, and the return cables are all passed under said roller.

' The operation of my machine is as follows With my machine on the forward end of newly laid track and with ties and new rails on flat cars behind it on the same track, or with other ties on flat carsv on parallel tracks, I economize in labor and time by using my track layer. I can draw the rails from the flat cars by hitching a cable to the end of the rails and with my machine in I operation the operator seated in seat G will means of the clutch 65. The cable with one cable,

end portion attached to the drum 64 will be partially wound upon said drum and the rails will be drawn over the rollers 67 to a position below the tracks 7 and 8. If a rail should be released from the drawing .nder track 7, and it was desired to lay it in line with track 8 it may be transferred by engaging the hooks or tongs 70 of the transfer rollers 30, which are mounted for operation on a transverse I-beam track 71 at the rear end of the said tracks 7 and 8, and manually raising said rail by operating the blocks 72 and tackle 73 provided and suspended below said transverse track and then'pushing the rail over to and in line with track 8. 7

To move the same, or any rail, forward for position to be laid, the cables f are wound on the drums 13 and 19 with portions carried over the sheave pulleys 10 on the front ends of the track I-beams 7 and 8 and back to the rail carriers H. From the rail carriers H I provide the return cables 6 which lead to and over the sheave pulleys 10 on the rear ends of the same tracks 7 and 8, with their other ends passed under the roller 68 and wound around and fastened to the drums ll and 20 in the same direction as the cables are wound on the drums 13 and 19. The purpose being to pay out one cable while the other is drawn in as the carrier is moved forward or returned. To move a rail from the front end of my machine to its rear end or to return the carrier to the rear end for another rail, the power is applied to the drums ll and 20 by throwing their respective clutches' The said drums rotating in the same direction will wind up the cables 6, and as the clutches engaging with the forwarding drum has been released, the cables. 7 will be paid out. I have described the movement of the drums 13 and 19, and of 14c and 20 together, but it will be obvious that to move a single rail forward or back, we will say on track 7, that the operator will use but drums 13 and ll and throw but the one lever 22, and when using track 8 he will use drums 19 an'd'20 by throwing lever 25; but it will be equally obvious that he may use both tracks at the same time by throwing both lever 22 and 25.

To move ties from flat cars at the rear end of my machine to the ground in front of the machine, they are first loaded manually from the flat cars onto the truck D while it is standing on the track 58 on the rear end of platform A. and the ties are piled on the bolsters 56. Then when the tie carrier is secured under the load of ties. by slipping the rollers 54 through the slots 57 of the truck and the sides 50 of the tie carrier are vertically in place, the loaded truck D is run down the incline 59 of the track 58 and the ties are then suspended on the rollers 54 and the weight is carried on the tie carrier K.

To move the loaded tie carrier forward, the operator moves the lever 23 to throw the clutch 21 into engagement with drum 16 and a cable if has one end fastened to said drum 16 with portions wound thereon and leading from the lower side of said drum to and over the sheave pulley 11 at the front end of track 9, and back to the front end of the tie carrier K, while another cable to has one end fastened to the rear end of said tie carrier and is then carried over the sheave pulley 11 on the rear end of the track 9, and forward under said roller 68 and is fastened to the drum 17 to be wound around this drum in thesame direction as the cables 7, b and t on their respective drums. If it desired at any time to run the truck D onto the leaf F, the truck is stopped on the turn table E and it is partially turned to bring that portion of the tracks 58 of the turn. table in line with the curved track leading onto the. leaf F, when the truck may be manually run out on the said leaf.

The drums 15 and 18 and their respective connections are the means for raising the rails by their respective adjacent rail can riers, and as the construction and operation of the two drums 15 and 18 and their connection are alike I will use for illustration the drum 15, track 8 and the carrier used on that clutch 21 of that lever will engage the drum 15 and the raising cable will be wound on the drum 15 and the friction of the cable on Sillfl drum- 39 will rotate the drive gear 37; and the drums 18 will be simultaneously rotated and wind thereon their respective cables 43. and the rail held in the tongs at? will be raised free of the previous support and to any desired height below the platform P), and as soon as the friction engagement of the cable is released on the drum 39 the suspended rail may be moved on. the said track 8 by releasing the drum 15 from its engagement with its clutch and throwing the clutch to engage the drum 13 or 141- as desire, to move the rail forward or backward.

If the operator on the ground desires to lower a suspended rail he will pull down on the hand rope 4A which will. release the tension of the spring 43. and this in turn will release the friction of the band 42 and the suspended rail will be lowered as desired.

I thus provide new and novel means to move rails from the flat cars, and from one vside of the track to the other, to advance the rails for fastening in place on the ties ill) way truck chassis, a frame spaced above and V rigidly supported on said platform; tracks on said platform having one portion on a higher plane than the other portion and an incline portion connecting the two planes; a truck adapted tobe run on said tracks; means to unload ties from said truck com prising longitudinally slotted bolsters on said truck; grooved rollers adapted to be carried below a load of ties and disposed in the slots of said bolsters; a tie-carrier suspended from said frame; side pieces on said tie-carrier having holes therein adapted to engage the grooves of said rollers; with means to move said tie-carrier forward and backward on said frame, when said truck has been run from the higher to the lower plane of said tracks, and thereby remove said ties from said truck and sustain their weight in said tie-carrier. V

2. A track laying machine comprising a truck supported platform with a frame supported on said platform; Lbeam tracks suspended from said frame; a power element mounted on said frame; a transverse shaft journaled on said frame; means to impart rotary motion to said shaft from said power element to rotate said shaft in one direction; a plurality of drums carried on said shaft; a clutch for each of said drums splined on said shaft; means to individually engage said drums with their respective clutches; rail and tie carriers suspended from said I- beams and adapted to slide longitudinally thereon; cables operable over said drums to move said carriers on said beams; a counter shaft mounted for rotation on said platform; means to impart motion from said shaft to said counter shaft; a cable drum carried on said counter shaft; a clutch to engage said drum with said counter shaft; and'a cable attached to and adapted .to be wound around said drum to move rails toward said platform. 7

8. A track laying machine comprising a truck supported platform with a skeleton frame supportedeon and spaced above said platform; tracks suspended longitudinally on the underside of said frame; rail carriers operable on said tracks, each of which carriers consists of spaced apart plates; shafts j ournaled in said plates; gear wheels secured on one end of said shafts; a driving gear secured on the end portion of an intermediate parallel shaft the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of said gear wheels; a cable drum secured on said last mentioned shaft adjacent said driving gear; a friction drum secured on the other end of each of said shafts which have the gear wheels; a yieldingly held friction band engaging said friction drums and means to impart motion to said cable drum whereby said shafts will be rotated to wind cables on the outer shafts. I

A track laying machine comprising a truck supported platform with a skeleton frame spaced above and supported on said platform; a track suspended longitudinally below said frame; a tie carrier operable on said track, and consisting of a plurality of wheels adapted to run on said track; vertical plates in which said wheels are journaled; a

cross-head secured to said plates; side leaves lunged to said cross-head and having holes in their lower corners; and rollers adapted plates; roller wheels journaled on said plates and adapted to run on said track; three parallel shafts journaled in said plates; intermeshing gears on one end of said shafts; a cable drum secured on the end of the intermediate one of said shafts; frietion drums on the opposite ends of the other shafts; a friction band adapted to bear on the faces of said friction drums; a spring to normally hold said band in contact with said friction drums; means to release said spring; and a cable adapted to be moved longitudinally when looped around said cable drum to rotate said intermediate shaft and thereby rotate said outer shafts, with cables wound on said shafts to raise railway rails detachably held on said last mentioned cables.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

CHARLES W. BURTON. 

